Athletes from across the Midlands have been celebrating sporting success this past few weeks

Medals aplenty at the World Para Athletics Championships, World Aquatics Championships, Commonwealth Youth Games and EUBC European Women’s Junior Championships

It has been an incredible summer of sport for Midlands athletes, coinciding with Birmingham’s bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

So far this summer, there have been medals, records and personal bests for athletes from across the region at a range of major events, including the World Para Athletics Championships, World Aquatics Championships, Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas and the EUBC European Women’s Junior Championships.

Further sporting action is yet to come with Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Judo and Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships all expected to feature Midlands sporting talent in the next couple of months.

Highlights so far this summer include:

World Para Athletics Championships, London

Sophie Hahn

T38 100m

Nottingham

Gold

Sophie Hahn

T38 200m

Nottingham

Gold

Jonnie Peacock

T44 100m

Oakham/ Loughborough

Gold

Stefanie Reid

T44 Long Jump

Loughborough

Gold

Richard Whitehead

T42 200m

Nottingham

Gold

Jonathan Broom-Edwards

T44 High Jump

Loughborough

Silver

Mickey Bushell

T53 100m

Shrewsbury/ Telford

Silver

Kare Adenegan

T34 100m

Coventry

Silver

Kare Adenegan

T34 800m

Coventry

Bronze

Richard Whitehead

T42 100m

Nottingham

Bronze

Commonwealth Youth Games, Bahamas

Aaron Bowen

Boxing, 75kg

Coventry

Gold

Sian Bobrowska

Judo, -48kg

Worcester

Gold

Sian Bobrowska

Judo, -48kg

Worcester

Gold

Leah Grosvenor

Judo, -57kg

Stourport-on-Severn

Gold

Mason Wilby

Swimming, 200m Butterfly

Coalville

Gold

Georgina Adam

Athletics, mixed 4x200m relay

Lincoln

Silver

Seamus Derbyshire

Athletics, 400m hurdles

Stoke-on-Trent

Silver

Thomas Fawcett

Rugby 7s

Henley-in-Arden

Silver

Elizabeth Harris

Swimming, mixed 4x100m freestyle relay

Stoke-on-Trent

Silver

Elizabeth Harris

Swimming, mixed 4x200m freestyle relay

Stoke-on-Trent

Silver

Jack Sumners

Athletics, 110m hurdles

Stratford-upon-Avon

Silver

Mason Wilby

Swimming, mixed 4x100m freestyle relay

Coalville

Silver

Luke Duffy

Athletics, 1500m

Nottingham

Bronze

EUBC European Women’s Junior Championships (Boxing), Bulgaria

Elise Glynn

54kg juniors

Solihull

Gold

Simran Kaur

48kg juniors

Telford

Silver

Kara Murray

66kg juniors

Telford

Silver

World Aquatics Championships, Budapest (to 30 Jul)

Adam Peaty

100m breaststroke

Uttoxeter

Gold/ CR*

Adam Peaty

50m breaststroke

Uttoxeter

Gold/ WR*

Birmingham’s bid has the full support of the wider Midlands region, including: Birmingham City Council; three regional local enterprise partnerships: Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP; Black Country LEP; Coventry and Warwickshire LEP; the West Midlands Combined Authority and the newly elected Mayor of West Midlands, Andy Street; the West Midlands Growth Company; and the Midlands Engine.

The Birmingham 2022 bid team and sports fans across the Midlands have been cheering on the regions’ athletes. Excitement is also building around the potential to see many of them compete in local venues, should Birmingham be selected to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Buoyed on by their superb performances, athletes have also been sharing their hopes and dreams of repeating their successes in front of a home crowd in Birmingham 2022.

“It was a real honour to represent team England in the Bahamas, I was very proud to get a Gold medal, it certainly would be amazing to represent them again at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as it’s very close to my home town.”

“Playing for my country in the Commonwealth Youth Games was incredible and the feeling of winning a silver medal is something I will never forget.

“As someone who has grown up in the area, the possibility of Birmingham hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games is something that really excites me and I would love to see the Games awarded to such a fantastic city.”

Zena Wooldridge OBE, Director of Sport, University of Birmingham and member of Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bid team, said:

“This summer of sport has already been truly inspirational with so many local athletes performing at their best on a global stage. With the World Athletics Championships starting next week, we wish University of Birmingham medical student, Sarah McDonald, well in the 1500m in London. We have seen from previous major events in the UK the benefits of home advantage and are working hard to ensure that Birmingham can provide that for our athletes by winning the 2022 Commonwealth Games bid.”